Resumo

BOCCO, Gerardo. El desarrollo de sistemas de información geográfica en la frontera norte de México. Invest. Geog [online]. 2000, n.42, pp.40-47. ISSN 2448-7279.

Mexico is facing a crucial and unprecedented situation with regards to the attention to environmental issues, as well as regarding the generation and handling of data needed for their analysis and management. In the Mexico-US border this is particularly important, since the accelerated processes of demographic and economic growth, along with the environmental conditions, have resulted in a severe stress on environmental resources, compromising its development's sustainability. Geographic information systems (GIS), usually combined with remote sensing technologies, have become powerful tools for the analysis and management of environmental Issues, where spatial aspects are crucial. Mexico's Northern border is not an exception, and GIS play a key role in environmental and territorial management. In this paper, an approach for the development of GIS at this border is discussed from an academic perspective. It is focused on the national aspects although some binational topics are considered. Hereby GIS are presented as basic instruments for environmental management.

Palavras-chave : Geographical information systems; North frontier; Mexico.